Prevention of the growth of fungi and prevention of infections and maladies caused by fungi to mammals and plants has received much attention by scientists and industry since fungi may cause various diseases and infections in man including mycotic disease, e.g., pulmonary candidiasis and pulmonary aspergillosis. Certain yeastlike organisms e.g., Cryptotococcus neoformans, may cause serious infections of the central nervous system. More commonly known fungal infections in humans and mammals include ringworm, which are fungal infections of hair and nail areas, as well as resistant infections of the skin. Many other fungal infections inflict humans and other mammals in the areas of skin, mucous membranes, intestinal tract, vaginal area and lungs.
Plants are also attacked by various fungi. Damage caused by fungal infection to agriculture amounts to billions of dollars annually. Various inorganic and organic fungistats and fungicides have been tried, but with limited success. It is, of course, important for the fungicide to kill the fungi, but not the plant and to leave no toxic residue on the food product of the plant.
Various methods have been utilized to combat fungal infection in agriculture, including foliage fungicides wherein plants are coated with a weather-resistant fungicide. Seed treatment and soil treatment methods are also know using fungicides safe for seeds and resistant to degradation by soil or soil borne microorganisms. Chemotherapeutants are fungicides which permeate the plant to protect new growth or eliminate infections which have already occurred within the plant. Agricultural fungistats and fungicides and their application must meet very stringent requirements and regulations that have been promulgated by governmental authorities.
Considerable research and resources have been devoted to combating fungal infections in both mammals and plants. While some antifungal agents and methods have been developed that aid in inhibiting the spread of fungi and fungi caused diseases in both mammals and plants and in treating fungi infected hosts, new methods and antifungal compositions are needed. The present invention concerns the discovery of novel compounds that help to fill such need.
Hence, an object of this invention is the provision of new organic compounds and compositions which have useful therapeutic properties.
Another object is the provision of novel sesterterpene compounds derived from a marine organism, i.e., sponges of the genus Ircinia aff. I. paucifilamentosa, new compositions comprising such compounds and their methods of use for antifungal and other purposes.
The full scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.